Acetylene-gas generator



Patented July I9, |898. J. A. OLSON.

ACETYLENE .GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Aug. 17, 1896.)

2 sheetssheet (No Model.)

. www um 1. A. o LsoN. ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Aug. 17, 1896.)

No. 607,70I. Patented luly I9, [898.

(No Modeln 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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"Nrrnn STATES FFICE@ 'JOHN A.OLSON, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

AC ETYLEN E-GAS G EIN ERATOR.

srnorrroA'Tfoiv forming part of Letters Patent No. 607,701, dated July 19, 189s.

Application filed August 1'7, 1896. Serial No. 603,047. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it puny concern,.- A v Be it known thatk I, JOHN A. OLSON,'a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and Vuseful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Generators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to gas-generators, and has for its especial object to provide certain improvements in that class'of gas-generators which are employed for generating acetylene gas by automatically controlling the contact between bodies of calcium carbid and water.

To this end my invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

The preferred form'of my invention is illustrated in the'accompanying drawings, wherein, like letters referring to like parts throughout the several views- Figure 1 is a view in vertical central section taken transversely through the entire elevation of the generating-receptacle shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view in plan, with some parts broken away, showing a safety-valve-actuating device. Fig. 5 is a view, partly in front elevation and partly in central vertical section, showing the safetyvalve and escape-pipe; and Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 5.

I will first describe the preferred form of my novel generating-receptacle or generator.

In suitable Abearing-brackets a, which are secured to the iioor or other support, are loosely journaled the projecting ends of a hol'-` low shaft or spindle Z), secured to and movable with which is a drum or cylinder b', provided with closed ends. y The hollow shaft l) is in communication with the interior of the drum Zi', and, as shown, this is accomplished by means of a radially-projecting branch pipe b2. is closed by a cap h3, and the other end of the same is connected, by means of a swivelacting stufiing-box b4, with a draw-off or gasconveying pipe b5. As shown, the drum b' is provided at its lower portion with a discharge-nipple h6, which is normally closed by means of a removable cap 197.` At one end the said drum is shown as provided with the water-supply pipe bs, provided With a valve b9. This pipe bs, it will be noted, opens into the drum h below the water-level of the same, While the upper open end of the pipe rises to such a height that it will always'be kept considerably above said Water-level. i The initial supply of water may be introduced into the drum b through this pipe 118, and by connecting the same with a source of water-supply under pressure and removing the cap hi of the nipple h6 Water may be forced through the said drum to clean the same with a flushing action.

The carbid-holder is carried with the drum h or generatingreceptacle, being located therein eccentric to the axial shaft or stem l). In this preferred form of the apparatus the carbid-holder is formed by means of a partition-plate c, which is secured within the drum longitudinally thereof and extends substantially throughout its transverse dimensions on a chord of the circle formed by the shell or periphery of said drum b. Preferably only the lower portion of this partition-plate c is perforated, and, as shown, this perforated portion is formed by a reticulate or woven section c'.

The carbid is introduced into the carbid-` holder through afilling device constructed as follows:

Secured to and passing through the periphery of the drum h above the partition c is a small open-ended cylinder f, preferably of such size as to receive sufficient carbid, to charge the carbid-holder. The lower innerend of this cylinder f is cut off on an incline, as shown at f', and is adapted to be closed by means of a disk-like bottom plate f2, which is loosely mounted on the free end of an arm f3, secured to the lower end of a vertical shaft f4. The shaft f4 is mounted in a sleeve One projecting end of the hollow shaft l) f5,secured to the drum U, and the upper end y section of this lever f7 f8 is provided with aprojecting portion in which is mounted a thumb-screw j. j

flo indicates a resistance-bracket rigidly secured to the drum b', with its upper end in position to be cleared or passed by the lever ffs when the section f8 is turned as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l, butin such position that when the said section f8 is turned as indicated by full lines in said Fig. l its upper end may be engaged by the projecting end of the thumb-screw fi.

It' will be noted that the bottom plate f2 is so pivoted or hinged to the free end of the lever f8 as to be permitted considerable pivotal movement, so that when the lever f3 is turned as shown in Fig. 3 the said bottom platefz may tiltto the incline indicated in said ligure, and thus permit the ready discharge of the contents of the cylinder j'. Again, in virtue of this pivotal movement of the bottom plate f2 and the incline f of the cylinder f, as the said arm f3 is moved so as to throw said bottom plate f2 into its closed position it will automatically adjust itself to the angle of said bottom and may be pressed thereagainst, lso as to form a gas-tight joint therewith. The closed position of this bottom plate is shown in Fig. l, and in this position it may be held by the thumb-screwf",

which is tightly screwed against the resistance-bracket f1".

The upperend of the cylinderfis normally closed with a gas-tight joint by means of a cap f, which is swiveled on the lower end i of a hand-screw fw, which Works through a hinge-ironf13, one end of which is pivoted to lugs f of the cylinder f and the other end of which is provided with a pivoted latchpiecef. The latch-piecef15 maybe engaged at will with detent lugs or hooks f1, formed on the cylinder f. Obviously by engaging the latch-piece with the lugs f1 and tightening the screw f12 the cap f may be tightly clamped in place, while by loosening said screw]012 and releasing the latch j the said cap f may be readily removed.

It may be here stated that the purpose of the charging device just described is to enable the carbid-holder to be loaded with the carbid Without permitting the escape of the noxious acetylene gas from the generator into the room. As is evident, by iirst removing the cap]011 from the cylinder f, then filling the said cylinder with carbid, then replacing the said cap f, and then removing the bottom plate f2 from the bottom of the said cylinder the carbid may be introduced onto the carbid-holder, as described.

In connection with the generating mechanism just described I employ a storage-tank or gasometer involving, preferably, telescoping Water-seated tank-sections, the interior of which tank or gasometer is in communication with the rotary generating receptacle, and the movable section of which is connected to the said generating receptacle or drum in such manner that the vertical reciprocations of the same will produce an oscillating movement of said receptacle or drum, thereby carrying the carbid held by the carbid-holder cinto or out of the water.

As shown, g indicates the fixed and g the vertically-movable telescopic sections of the storage-tank or gasometer, and, as shown, the draw-oft pipe b5 from the drum b terminates in a vertical section g2, which opens within the storage-tan k above the highest water-level ofthe same. gs indicatesa service-pipe which also opens into the storage-tank above its highest water-level and which extends to the ordinary points of consumption. j

From one side of the tank-section g, projecting toward the generator, is rigidly secured a spider-like bracket g4, provided with a pair of arms g5. At the extremities of eachA of the arms g5 is mounted the intermediate portionot' one of a pair of levers ga. These levers gfs are provided at their adjacent ends with elongated slots g'. In the slot g77 ot' one of these levers is adjustably secured a sliding head g8, which has a suitable projection which engages the slot Q7 of the other lever. The opposite end of one of these levers g is connected to the head of the vertically-movable tank or gasometer section g by means of a link Q9, and the opposite end of the other le- IOO ver g6 is provided with a pivoted head gw. l

This pivoted head g10 is adjustably connected to the peripheral shell of the rotary drum Z2 by means of a connecting-rod g, the lower end of which, as shown, is secured to a lug g12 on said drum and the upper end of which works through a perforation in said head gw and is adjustably secured therewith by means of a thumb-screw Q13. l

Fig. l of the drawings shows substantially the properly-adj listed positions of the parts of the apparatus as required for ordinary use. As is evident, however, by adjusting the rod g11 through the head g1@ the perforated section c of the carbid-holder c may be raised or lowered vertically with respect to a given position of the levers gf and'movable gasometer or tank section g. Again, by adjusting the sliding head g8 in the slot gT of the lever g, by which it is carried, the operative length of the one lever g" may be increased or decreased with respect to the other at will, so as to increase or decrease the amount of oscillatoryT motion which the drum b will be IIO age-tank there may also be employed a safety device for permitting the escape of gas from the gasometer whenever there is such an overproduction of gas as to be dangerous. The safety device which I have shown involves novel features of construction and comprises as follows:

7l; indicates anescape-pipe the inner end of which terminates in the gasometer, above the water-level of the same, and the outer end of which may be connected to a iiue or may lead to the atmosphere outside of the room in which the apparatus is located. The inner upper end of the pipe 7c is normally closed by a valve 7e', the stem of which works upward through a cap 7a2 of a pipe-head 705. On the stem of the valve 7a', compressed between said valve and the cap 7a2, is a coiled spring 7a4, which tends to hold said valve closed. The valve 7c is also provided with a pair of laterally-projecting arms 765, which work in vertical grooves 7c, formed in the pipe-head 7c3, and project out a considerable distance beyond the same. The movable tank or gasometer section g carries a trip-bar 7c?, which is secured thereto in a horizontal position and has an oval or elongated eye 765 at its center, which works around the pipe 7c under the vertical movement of said tank-section g', and when sufficiently raised the bifurcated portions of said bar are adapted to engage the projecting arms 705 of the valve 7o and thereby open said valve. The verticalposition of the trip-bar 707 on the tank-section g with respect to the arms 705 of the valve 7d is such that the vertical movements `of said tank-section g throughout it-s ordinary zone of operationthat is,in the ordinary generating actionwill not cause the engagement of said bar with said arms 795,- but when by an overgeneration or otherwise the tankfsection g is thrown above its ordinary zone of operation the valve 7c will be raised, so as to open the escape-pipe 7c and permit the .escape of the confined gas from the gasometer. Y

It will be noted by reference to Fig. 4C that when the bar 757 is turned as shown by full lines the valve-arms 765, pipe-head 795, and cap 7a2 may all be readily inserted through the eye 75S; but when the said bar is turned as indicated by dotted lines it will engage the said arms 71:5, as above described. Therefore in placing the gasometer-section g' in working position it should be turned so that the bar 755 will stand in a position indicated by full lines in Fig. 4, and then after it has been lowered the tank-section may be turned so that the bar will stand as indicated by the dotted lines.

It will be noted that the cylinder f of the filling device flares or increases in diameter toward its lower end. This is important, as it renders the discharge of the carbid therein contained, under the action of gravity, more positive and rapid.

It will also be noted that the open end of the branch pipe-section b2 from the axial pipe b extends much higher than the said pipe b. This will permit the axial pipe b to be entirely submerged in the water without interfering with the generating action of the generator.

The general action of the above-described apparatus as an entirety is probably obvious from the foregoing description, but may be briefly summarized as follows: The proper parts of the apparatus being charged or loaded with water or carbid, as already described, the generating actionmay be started by forcing the drum b to revolve in the direction indicated by the arrow on Fig. l until the carbid z on the carbid-holder c c is vdipped into the water z. This, of course, will start the generation of gas, which as it is generated will flow through the pipe connections b2 b b5 g2 into the gasometer or storage-tank, and as this generation of gas continues the gasometer-section g' will be caused to rise. This rise of the gasometer-section g', acting through the levers g6 and link connections 99 g, will cause the drum b to rotate in a direction reverse from the arrow indicated on Fig. 1, thereby raising the carbid bodies zentirelyout of the water z', and thus stopping the generation of gas for the time being. When, however, the gas in the gasometer is drawn off through the service-pipe g3, so that the presi sure therein is reduced, the movable gasometer-section g will of course lower and, through the connections described,will cause the drum b' to again rotate in the direction indicated TOO by the said arrow, thus again throwing the no attention further than to keep the sameY properly supplied with the gas-producing substances.

It will be understood, of course, that various alterations in the details of construction of the preferred form of my invention above described may be made without departing from the principles of my invention.

Vhat l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

l. The combination with a pivoted generating-receptacle adapted to contain water and provided within with a carbid-holder,of means operated by the generated gas, for oscillating said pivoted generating-receptacle to bring the carbid and water therein contained into and out of contact.

2. The combination with a generating-receptacle, adapted to contain water, mounted for pivotal movement and provided with a carbid-holder located eccentric to its pivot, and means operated by the generated gas, for

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oscillating said receptacle and automatically moving the carbid on said carbid-holder, into and out of the Water of said receptacle.

3. In a gas apparatus, the combination With a generating-receptacle,in the form of a drum, adapted to contain Water, and pivoted on its axial center, of a carbid-holder formed therein by a perforated partition-plate extending longitudinally of said dru rn, substantially on.

an arc thereof, and a gas-tight filling device opening to said carbid-holder through the periphery of said drum.

4. The combination With a generating-receptacle, adapted to contain Water, mounted for pivotal movement and provided With a ,carbid-holder located eccentric to its pivot, of

v ating-receptacle, said connections involving as an element, an adjustable part by means "of which the pivotal position of said carbidholder with respect to the Water contained in said generating-receptacle may be varied independent of the movement of said movable tank-section, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a generating-receptacle, adapted to contain Water, mounted for pivotal movement and provided With a carbid-holder located eccentricto its pivot, of an expansible storage-tank in communication with said generating-receptacle, and operating connections between the movable section of said storage-tank and said pivoted generating-receptacle, said connections involving, as an element, means for varying the movement of the said pivoted generating-receptacle with respect to any given movement of said movable tank-section.

'7. The combination With a generating-receptacle, adapted to contain Water, mounted for pivotal movement and provided With a carbid-holder located eccentric to its pivot, of an expansiblev storage-tank or gasometer in communication With said generating-receptacle, and operating connections involving a pair of levers pivoted at their intermediate portions, connected together at their adjacent ends and connected at their opposite ends, one to the movable gasometer-section and the other to said generating-receptacle at a point eccentric to its axis, substantially as described.

8. The combination With a generating-receptacle, adapted to contain Water, mounted for pivotal movement and provided with a carbid-holder located eccentric to its pivot, of

an expansible storage-tank in communication With said generating-receptacle, and operating connections involving the pair of levers g6 pivoted at their intermediate portions to suitable supports and provided at their adjacent ends With the slots g7, the adjustable head g8 Working in said slots g7, the link g connecting the extended end of one of the levers Q6 with the movable tank-section, the pivoted head g10 on the extended end of the other lever gG, and the connecting-rod g11 secured at one end to the shell of said generating-receptacle and adj ustably secured at its other end to said head glo, substantially as described.

9. The combination With a generating-receptacle and a carbid-holder located therein, of a filling device involving a cylinder or tube opening through said receptacle, above said carbid-holder, and having its inner end cut on an incline, a removable cover for the outer end of said cylinder, a removable bottom for the beveled inner end of said cylinder, a rock-shaft extending through said gen-l erating-receptacle, substantially parallel to the axis of said cylinder, an arm secured on the inner end of said rock-shaft and carrying said removable bottom at its free end, and means for rocking said rock-shaft from its outer end, substantially as described.

10. The combination With a generating-receptacle and a carbid-holder located therein, of a filling device involving the cylinder or tube f opening through said receptacle above said holder and having its inner end beveled at f a removable cover for the outer end of said cylinder, the removable bottom f2 for the beveled inner end of said cylinder, the rock-shaft f4 extending through said generating-receptacle, the arm f3 secured to the inner end of said shaft f4 and hinged or pivoted to said bottom f2 at its free end, the operating-lever involving the section f7 secured to the outer end of the shaft f4 and the pivoted handpiece f8 provided with the thumbscrew fg, and the stop or bracket flo fixed on said generating-receptacle, substantially as described.

ll. The combination With a generating-receptacle, of a filling device for the same involving a cylinder or tube opening through said receptacle and having its inner end cut on an incline, a removable cover for the outer end of said cylinder or tube, a removable bottom for the inclined inner en d of said cylinder or tube, a rock-shaft extending into said generating-receptacle, an arm on the inner end of said rock-shaft secured to and carrying said removable bottom, and means for rocking said rock-shaft from its outer end, substantially as described.

l2. The combination With an expansible gasometer, of an escape-pipe la leading therefrom and provided at its inner open end With the valve bracket and cap 7c3 7a2, the valve 7.o

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normally closing said pipe Zo and provided In testimony whereof I aix my signature with the lateral extended arms 7c5 Working in in presence of two Witnesses. the slots lo of said bracket las, and the tripbar k7 secured to the movable gasometer-see- JOHN A OLSON' tion and provided with the elongated eye ks Witnesses: eoperating with the extended valve-arms 765 JNO. F. MOSSBORG,

and working substantially as described. FRANK D. MERCHANT. 

